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Orange: ‘No, We Didn’t Just Confirm Apple’s Tablet’

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Has mobile operator Orange spilled the beans on the supposed Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) tablet?

Bloggers got themselves tongue-tied Monday, when they leaped on comments - given by owner France Telecom’s deputy CEO during a French radio interview - as “confirmation” that the device is indeed launching soon, equipped with webcam, network connectivity for videophone chat and a retail partnership with Orange itself…

Stephane Richard acknowledged the tablet in the interview with Europe 1 (video at NowhereElse.fr, embedded below. Asked if it could benefit Orange subscribers, he spoke about the possibility of an apparent video calling feature. Now the blogosphere is rife with reports Richard has “confirmed” specs and a strategic relationship.

But it was nothing of the sort, the Orange PR machine tells paidContent:UK: “A few comments taken out of context, then interpreted into English.”

A full statement emailed to us has further back-tracking: “These responses in no way reflect Orange’s confirmation of the existence of the rumoured device. The spokesperson was merely confirming that he is aware of the speculation surrounding a launch and that Orange would be delighted to have such a product were it ever to be available.”

Still, this wouldn’t be the first time that an Orange executive spilled the beans about an upcoming Apple device. Back in 2007, amid lots of speculation about who would stock the iPhone, and when, the CEO Didier Lombard informally told journalists that Orange secured the deal weeks before the official announcement.

That deal was eventually confirmed, although it turned out to be short-lived: the French regulator eventually overturned the exclusive arrangement a year later to allow other carriers to sell it, too—something that may well happen with other devices in the future, including this tablet that no-one wants to confirm.

After web reports of an upcoming January 26 Apple event announcing the tablet, Kara at AllThingsD upgrades the calendar forecast to January 27.


L’interview politique de Jean-Pierre Elkabbach
by Europe1fr
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Ingrid Lunden Jan 11, 2010 11:47 AM ET

Stephane Richard, France Telecom Photo: Photo Giddy/Europe 1

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Posted In: Gadgets, Companies, Apple, France Telecom, Orange

  • Kevin

    In my opinion, the comments were very ambigous. They could easily be interpretted either way. A lot of excitement from the tech community about nothing.

  • Chanur

    I do absolutely agree with Stephane, there was NO ambiguity whatsoever in the french version, the deputy CEO, prompted by the interviewer, confirmed that the tablet will have a webcam and that users on the Orange network will be able to use it as a videophone. The only ambiguity IMHO is whether the CEA has been tricked by the journalist or if all this was a carefully rehearsed disclosal of information, arranged with Apple to whet the appetite of future customers in the midst of windows7 tablets announcements…

  • Stephane

    ” the Orange PR machine tells paidContent:UK: “A few comments taken out of context, then interpreted into English.”” ...
    It’s not because of the interpretation in English. In French, he says explicitly that the tablet is coming up and that Orange will provide it to its subscribers. There are no doubt, no ambiguities in the way he says it. How ambiguous is a YES to a direct question that says “According to LePoint, Apple is lauching a new tablet, will your subscribers will benefit from it?”...

  • I’ve been waiting all day for that to happen XD.

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